The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the 2000 season began. The team is owned by Force 10 Hoops LLC, which is composed of three Seattle businesswomen: Dawn Trudeau, Lisa Brummel, and Ginny Gilder.
The Storm has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in eight of its eleven years in Seattle. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as all-star point guard Sue Bird, sharp-shooter and 2004 Finals MVP Betty Lennox, former UConn star Swin Cash, and Australian power-forward Lauren Jackson. In 2004 and 2010, the Storm went to the WNBA Finals; they won each time, beating Connecticut in 2004 and Atlanta in 2010.

The team cultivates a fan-friendly, family environment at home games by having an all-kid dance squad, which leads young fans in a conga line on the court during time-outs, to the music of "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" by the Quad City DJ's. Named for the rainy weather of Seattle, the team uses many weather-related icons: the team mascot is Doppler, a maroon-furred creature with a cup anemometer on its head; the theme song for Storm home games is AC/DC's Thunderstruck; and its newsletter is called Stormwatch.

The Storm was the sister team of the Seattle SuperSonics until February 28, 2008, when the team was sold to an independent ownership group in Seattle.

The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team currently based in Newark, New Jersey, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league. The team is owned by Madison Square Garden, who also owns the Liberty's NBA counterpart, the New York Knicks.

The Liberty has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in ten of its fourteen years in New York. The franchise has been home to many well-known players such as guard Teresa Weatherspoon, Becky Hammon, University of Utah player Leilani Mitchell, and Rutgers player Cappie Pondexter. In 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2002, the Liberty went to the WNBA Finals but fell short the first three attempts to Houston and in 2002 to Los Angeles. They have the most appearances in the WNBA Finals without a championship.

Due to renovations at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Liberty are playing at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey from 2011 through 2013.